High speed magnetic electric switch



1955 H. B. KLATTE ETAL 3,201,537

HIGH SPEED MAGNETIC ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Jan. 10, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS HENEI' B. KLFITTE. JOHN Z Ouvaau QTTOENEY 1955 H. B. KLATTE ETAL 3,201,537

HIGH SPEED MAGNETIC ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Jan. 10, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 29K 95 I @24 I30 INVENTORS B. KLATTE V OL. IV ER u HTTOENEV r 3,201,537 Patented Aug. 17, 1965 3 201 537 actuating lever and the switch elements embodying the HIGH SPEED Maoi lnric ELECTRIC swrrcn mventlon;

Henry B. Klatte, Yonkers, N.Y., and John V. Oliveau, Greenwich, Conn., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Universal Oil Products Company, Des Plaines, IIL, a

corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 336,947 8 Claims. (Cl. ZOO-61.41)

Our present invention relates to a high speed electric switch such as requires only a low operating force, movable elements, a small mass for a high operating rate, lack of 'wear points and of parts susceptible to contamination.

A particular embodiment of the invention may, for exa'mple, be used for the initiation of each of a series of cards, sheets or documents fed into a processing machine at a high rate as, for example, rates up to 600 documents or cards, etc. per minute. Inasmuch as these cards or other similar documents may be made in some cases transparent, a light beam interrupted by the passing documents cannot be used and, moreover, an accumulation of dust or other contaminations on a window through which the light beam must pass would interfere with or blank out the light beam.

In our invention a reed type of switch hermetically sealed in a glass container or casing is positioned in the magnetic field of a permanent magnet so that the magnetic flux from the magnet brings the two strips into contact thereby closing the electric circuit to which the switch is connected. The reeds or strips may be sealed in opposite ends of the container and extend toward each other with the magnetic tubes overlapping.

To open the switch a curtain of a metal of high permeability is inserted between the magnet and the container or casing in which the switch is sealed thereby preventing the magnetic flux from the magnet reaching the reeds of the switch, whereupon the resilience of the reeds causes them to separate slightly to break the circuit. The metal of the curtain is preferably mumetal. Mumetal is a a high-permeability, isotropic magnetic alloy having approximately 78% nickel or a similar alloy of similar characteristics.

The curtain of mumetal is carried on one end of a lever which is pivoted and held in position to bring the curtain between the magnet and the enclosure of the switch reeds or terminals by means of a leaf spring secured at one end to a fixed support, and at the other end to the lever. The opposite arm of the lever projects into the path of the articles, such as a succession of cards, sheets or documents so that with the passage of each sheet the lever is displaced against the resiliency of the dividing spring to displace the curtain from its normal position between the magnet and the switch element.

It will be understood that the relation of these elements might be reversed, that is, the curtain might be caused to pass into position between the magnet and the switch elements by the passage of the actuating objects. In either case there will be an interruption and restoration of the current through the electric circuit with each passing article.

Preferably the cards, sheets, etc., are passed in succession through a chute and the end of the arm or lever projects transversely into the chute and into the path of the articles so that as the articles are removed through the chute the lever arm will be displaced as each successive card, sheet or document passes through.

A preferred construction of the chute and the lever is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings on a large scale, in which:

FIG. 1 is a section through a chute and through the FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the assembly of the switch, magnet, curtain and lever and their mounting elements;

FIG. 4 is a view of the elements shown in FIG. 3 taken from the right side as viewed in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the switch elements, namely the reeds or strips and the transparent enclosure in which they are sealed.

In the accompanying drawings an assembly of a switch 16 and magnet 11 is mounted in a support 12 having one part 13 recessed to receive and hold the switch in spaced relation to a part 14 holding the magnet thus providing a space between the magnet and the switch. The material of the support is such as not to deflect the magnetic flux from passing through the switch 10.

Referring to FIG. 5 the switch comprises a casing 15 of non-magnetic, electrically insulating material such as glass, having a reed-shaped terminal 16 entering from one end and hermetically sealed in that end to a position approximately midway of the length of the casing.

A second reed 1'7 is similarly mounted in the opposite end of the casing to extend in overlapping relation to the reed 16 and being separated therefrom by a slight gap. The overlapping parts of the reeds 16 and 17 are of magnetic material and the reeds having an elasticity suflicient to hold the overlapping ends spaced from each other when not subjected to magnetic force but to permit the reeds to spring toward each other under the magnetic flux from the magnet 11. The parts of the switch projecting outside of the casing may, of course, be connected into an electric circuit.

The speed of operation of this switch is very fast, particularly as the switch may be made of small dimensions. For example, in one embodiment the length of the casing is about and the diameter less than /8", the other parts being proportionately small.

The magnetic switch from the magnet 11 through the switch 10 may be broken by means of a curtain 18 of mumetal mounted on the upper end of a lever 19 pivoted to swing about a pivotal axis parallel to the magnet 11 and It The lever 19 is pivotally supported on the support 14 by means of a thin leaf spring 20 secured to a vertical face 21 of the support 14 and extending downwardly and secured at its lower end in a midportion of the lever 19. The lever 19 extends downwardly from the pivotal support 20 to provide an actuating arm 22 to be deflected by successive passing articles, such as cards, sheets, etc.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lower end of the arm 22 of the lever 19 projects through an opening 23 of a Wa l 24 which is spaced from a parallel wall 25 to form a chute or passage 26 for successive articles such as cards, sheets, etc.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wall 25 is provided with a cam-like projection 27 which extends part-way into the space or chute 26 between the walls 24 and 25 and in a position opposite the lower end of the lever arm 22.

As indicated more particularly in FIG. 2, the lower end of the lever arm 22 is notched at 28 to receive the projection 27. Consequently a card or sheet passing downwardly through the space 26 is deflected by the camlike projection 27 toward the lower part of the lever arm 22 which projects through the opening 23 as shown in FIG. 1. The article, such as a card, sheet, etc., will extend sidewise from the space 26 to be gripped by pairs of rollers or pulleys 29 and 30 one pair on each side of the space 26, the rollers 29 being connected by a shaft 31 and the rollers 39 being connected by a shaft 32. These rollers are driven by means, not shown, to force the card or sheet, or other article, downwardly past the projection 27 and, engaging the lower inclined surface of the arm 22, will force this arm from the position shown in section to the position shown unsectioned in dotted line in FIG. 1. The lever 19 is thereby pivoted to withdraw the curtain 18 from its position between the magnet 11 and the switch element 10, as shown in FIG. 1, to permit the flow of magnetic flux through the switch element and closed switch.

In the apparatus of our invention the inertia of the lever 19 is reduced to a minimum and is substantially insignificant. Its movements are subject only to the resilience of the spring 24) which permits a rapid and instantaneous tilting of the lever 19 by the passing articles so that the switch 10 responds immediately to each passing article to pass in succession at a high rate. There are no moving parts in the switch exposed to dust or other atmospheric conditions. The lever 19 being pivoted solely by the spring 20, there are no bearing parts to become worn orunreliable. 7

Having described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A high speed electric switch which comprises a magnet, switch elements comprising a pair of normally spaced reed contacts positioned to be sprung into contact by magnetic flux from said magnet, an actuating lever having a curtain of magnetic flux intercepting material and a pivotal support for said lever comprising a flat spring positioned normally to hold said lever in position with said curtain between said magnet and said switch and to flex to' pivot said lever to withdraw said curtain from its position between said magnet and said switch.

2. The electric switch of claim 1 in which said curtain is of mumetal. V

3. The electric switch of claim 1 comprising a casing of non-magnetic non-electric conductive material for said reed contacts and in which said reed contacts comprise a pair of reeds one mounted in one end of said casing and the other mounted in the other end of said casing and extending to overlapping spaced position between said ends.

4. The electric switch of claim 3 in which the overlapping portions of said reeds are magnetizable material.

5. Apparatus for obtaining electric pulses from a succession of articles which comprises a high speed electric switch, comprising a magnet, switch elements comprising a pair of normally spaced reed oontacts positioned to be sprung into contact by magnetic flux from said magnet, an actuating lever having a curtain or" magnetic flux intercepting material, a pivotal support for said lever comprising a flat spring positioned normally to hold said lever in a position with said curtain between said magnet and said switch elements and to fiex to pivot said lever to withdraw said curtain from its position between said magnet and said switch, a chute for a succession of articlesinto which a part of said lever extends in position to be defiected to withdraw said curtain upon passage of an article.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said chute comprises a pair of parallel plates one of said plates having an opening to receive a part of said lever and the opposite plate having a projecting rib opposite said opening positioned to deflect articles into contact with said part of said lever. 7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said part of said lever projecting through said opening in said chute is notched to receive said projection.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 having a pair of rollers at each side of said chute positioned adjacent said opening to drive articles into contact with said lever projecting through said opening.

No references cited.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HIGH SPEED ELECTRIC SWITCH WHICH COMPRISES A MAGNET, SWITCH ELEMENTS COMPRISING A PAIR OF NORMALLY SPACED REED CONTACTS POSITIONED TO BE SPRUNG INTO CONTACT BY MAGNETIC FLUX FROM SAID MAGNET, AN ACTUATING LEVER HAVING A CURTAIN OF MAGNETIC FLUX INTERCEPTING MATERIAL AND A PIVOTAL SUPPORT FOR SAID LEVER COMPRISING A FLAT SPRING POSITIONED NORMALLY TO HOLD SAID LEVER IN POSITION WITH SAID CURTAIN BETWEEN SAID MAGNET AND SAID SWITCH AND TO FLEX TO PIVOT SAID LEVER TO WITHDRAW SAID CURTAIN FROM ITS POSITION BETWEEN SAID MAGNET AND SAID SWITCH. 